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(NO Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. T. FERRES.

RAILROAD VBLOGIPBDE.

N0. 246,000. Patented Aug. 23,1881.

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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. T. FERRES.

RAILROAD VELOGIPEDE.

No. 246,000. Patented Aug. 28,1881.

s l Ai i LU C ff W UNITED STATES.

PATENT OFFICE.

.IEFFERY T. FERRES, OF ST. JOSEPH, MISSOURI.

RAILROAD-VELOCIPEDE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 246,000, dated August 23, 1881.

Application tiled May 17, 1881.

(No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JEFFERY T. FERRES, a subject of the Queen of England, and a citizen of Canada, residing at St. Joseph, in the county of Buchanan and Statcof Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railroad-Velocipedcs, and I do hereby de clare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description oftheinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it apporta-ius to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Thisinvention relates to simple means whereby a railroad-velocipede can be propelled, and whereby the propelling-lever can remain at rest without retarding the motion once imparted to the wheels, and said wheels can be started at any point, there being no cranks or dead-centers, the propellin g-lever can be operated either with a long or short stroke, and,further, the

machine can be folded, when not in use, into a' smaller space to facilitate transportation, all

of which will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

In the annexed drawings, which form part of the specification and fully-illustrate my invention, Figure lrepresents a side view of my invention. Fig.2 is atop view. Fig. Sis a detached side view of the ratchet device. Fig. et is a cross-section of the same, and Fig. 5 shows one of the side bars with truss-brace.

In Fig. l are shown the two longitudinal side bars, A A2, which, together with two or more cross-bars, constitute the frame that carries the two principal wheels. Each one of the side bars has a truss-brace on its under side to give it additional strength.

Bis a box securely fastened to the top of side bars, over the rear portion of the machine, and serves as a tool-box. The ends of said box are set at an angle slanting toward the center at the bottom, so as not to interfere with the driving-lever P or the rear wheel, D. Said box has a cover, C, which swings on a pivot situated at the rear end of the box.

The outer end of arm E carries the wheel F, that runs on the opposite rail from the one wheels D run on. Its inner or right-hand end is supported by two stirrups, one of which is on the ping arm E endwise out of the right-hand sti r` rup it can be swung around on this pivot and folded against the machine. A

Near the outer end of arm E is fastened a brace, a2, bya bolt or other means, so as to allow of its being swung parallel with arm E. The other end of said brace has several holes bored through it large enough to slip over a pin placed vertically in thetop and near the rear end of side bar, A. Vhen arm E is secured in place and ready for operation the brace a2 can be hooked onto the said pin by the hole that is nearest to it.

The drive-wheels (marked D) have a metal rim with flange. wood fellies by screws or bolts. The fellies are in turn supported by wood spokes driven into' the hub. The hubs are of metal, with holes for the spokes. The hubs are keyed or otherwise secured to the axles.

The ratchet-wheel K has a space at the back for the back end of the pawls L L to rest on. Said ratchet is keyed or otherwise fastened to the axle close up against the hub of the wheels D D.

The drum H, with the pulley U, closed at one end, .is open at the other end, and plays loosely on the axle and close upto the hub. It forms a chamber for the pawls L L and completely incloses the ratchet K. The drum H has two small openings through its periphery, opposite each other. The top and front end of the play loosely therein, so that in whatever direction the drum is revolving the pawls are carried in the same direction. Then the drum is turned in the opposite direction from that in which the machine is going the front or square end of the pawls is thrown up and slides back over the ratchets; but when the motion is reversed their front ends are thrown toward the center or axle and engage with the ratchet, and thus impart motion to the wheels.

The pulley U before mentioned has one end and one center flange, and the head of the drum constitutes the other end flange, thus making two separate bandgrooves, I and J.

' Each of the two principal wheels is supplied VYby split keys that pass through their axle at its outer ends. Near the top of said drivinglever, on the outside, are four loose gripe-blocks, two on each side, for the operator to grasp whichever two suit him best. They are kept in place by means of washers riveted to the ends of the axle that passes through them. The lever P is hung near its center on the axle or bolt V, and has a free swaying motion forward and back. The brake-lever d is also hung on the same axle as lever P. Its lower end is connected by an iron rod, e, withpbrakef. Y'Vhen it is desired to stop the machine the top of lever d is drawn toward the operator, causing bra-key to come in contact with the rear wheel, thus checking the motion of the machine. The metal springs a support the seat b. Their lower ends are hung on the same axle as levers P and d, and they are placed one on each side of brake-lever d. Their top ends come together and pass throughaslotin the bottom of the seat, where a thumb-screw holds the seat in place. By loosening this screw the scat can be adjusted to suit the operator.

The driving-ban ds are marked o 0. The end of the front band is first fastened to pulley U, in band-groove J of the front wheel, is wound" around said. pulley three or four times, and leaves it at the bottom, passes from thence to the center of the bottom cross-bar in driving-lever P, and is securely fastened to it. The end of back driving-band 0, if first fastened tc pulley U in band-groove J ofthe rear wheel, is wound around said pulley three or four times, and leaves it at the top, passes from thence to the center of the bottom cross-bar in driving-lever P, and is securely fastened to it.

The bands S and S are for reversing the motion of the pulleys and drums. The band S is first fastened to 'pulley U in band-groove I of the front wheel, is wound around it three or four times, and leaves it at the top. The band S is rst fastened to pulley U in band-groove I of the rear wheel, is wound around it three or four times, and leaves it at the bottom. The ends of these bands are coupled together near the middle of the machine by means of a coiledwire spring. The object of this spring is to keep all the bands tight and prevent any binding from the bands being too tight or any loss of motion from their being too loose. These bands are fastened to said spring with abuckle, to admit of their being shortened if they should stretchai'ter being used. Y

To propel the machine the operator places his feet on the pedals and takes hold of the gripe-blocks and forcibly vibrates the lever. Thus when the top of the lever is forced forward the front driving-band revolves the drum and pawls of the front wheel in a forward direction. The front ends of these pawls engage with the ratchet and impart motion to the machine at the same time the drum, pulley, and pawls of the rear wheel are revolved backward by the band S. Then, when the driving-lever is drawn toward the operator, the rear wheel becomes the drive-wheel, and the pawls ofthe front wheel are placed in position. Thus there can be no loss of motion, for when the pawls of the front wheel are acting those on the rear wheel are placed in position, and vice versa. With most ratchet devices the driving-band is rewound by means of spring-power, and in addition to driving the machinery the strength of the spring has also to be overcome; but

with my arrangement the rewinding takesV place automatically.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I desire to secure by Letters Patent, in a JEEFERY T. FERRES.

Witnesses:

SYLvEsTER H. READ, J osEPH DONNELLY.

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